Differences in cooperative behavior among Damaraland mole rats are consequences of an age-related polyethism

Zöttl, Markus; Vullioud, Philippe; Mendonça, Rute; Torrents-Ticó, Miquel; Gaynor, David; Mitchell, Adam E.; Clutton‐Brock, T. H.

doi:10.1073/pnas.1607885113

Cited by 81 publications

(104 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…even used the existence of the two worker castes in F. damarensis as a starting point of their study. Only the very recent study of Zöttl et al 36. attempted to clarify polyethism in the same species using a large number of captive groups.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of space-use patterns in a free living eusocial rodent, Ansell’s mole-rat indicates age-based rather than caste polyethism

Šklíba

Lövy

Burda

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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Eusocial species of African mole-rats live in groups cooperating on multiple tasks and employing division of labour. In captivity, individuals of the same group differ in cooperative contribution as well as in preference for a particular task. Both can be viewed as polyethism. However, little information is available from free-ranging mole-rats, which live in large burrow systems. We made an attempt to detect polyethism in the free-living Ansell’s mole-rat (Fukomys anselli) as differences in individuals’ space-use patterns. We radio-tracked 17 adults from five groups. Large individuals, including breeding males, spent more time inside the nest than smaller individuals. Breeding females were more often located <10 m from the nest in comparison to non-breeding females, who were relatively more often located 30–90 m and exclusively >90 m from the nest. One non-breeding female even conducted a brief intrusion into a neighbouring group’s territory via an open tunnel connection. A significant part of the variability in mole-rat space-use patterns was explained by body mass which is probably related to age in this species. This result can therefore be attributed to age polyethism. There was no apparent discontinuity in the space-use patterns of non-breeders that would indicate existence of castes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Variability of space-use patterns in a free living eusocial rodent, Ansell’s mole-rat indicates age-based rather than caste polyethism

Šklíba

Lövy

Burda

et al. 2016

Sci Rep

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“…Variation in growth in Damaraland mole-rats appears to resemble that in other cooperatively breeding vertebrates and eusocial insect species where specialization of workers does not result in discrete body size polymorphism. In vertebrates, division of labour is rare and individual differences in behaviour often result from age-related variation rather than from specialization of individuals to fixed roles [12,19].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recent evidence suggests that groups exhibit an age-based polyethism with faster growing individuals contributing more to cooperative tasks and that behavioural phenotypes are continuously distributed across non-breeding individuals [12,13].…”

Section: Materials and Methods (A) Study Animals And Husbandrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Depending on group size, total tunnel length of the polyvinyl chloride cages varied between 4 and 16 m. Twice daily groups were fed ad libitum with sweet potatoes and cucumbers as well as given clean sand (cf. [12]) (b) Data collection and analysis Data were collected between October 2013 and July 2016. Individuals were of known age, being weighed weekly until the age of 90 days and fortnightly thereafter, using a Sartorius TE4100 electronic scale.…”

Section: Materials and Methods (A) Study Animals And Husbandrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Variation in growth of Damaraland mole-rats is explained by competition rather than by functional specialization for different tasks

et al. 2016

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In some eusocial insect societies, adaptation to the division of labour results in multimodal size variation among workers. It has been suggested that variation in size and growth among non-breeders in naked and Damaraland mole-rats may similarly reflect functional divergence associated with different cooperative tasks. However, it is unclear whether individual growth rates are multimodally distributed (as would be expected if variation in growth is associated with specialization for different tasks) or whether variation in growth is unimodally distributed, and is related to differences in the social and physical environment (as would be predicted if there are individual differences in growth but no discrete differences in developmental pathways). Here, we show that growth trajectories of non-breeding Damaraland mole-rats vary widely, and that their distribution is unimodal, contrary to the suggestion that variation in growth is the result of differentiation into discrete castes. Though there is no evidence of discrete variation in growth, social factors appear to exert important effects on growth rates and age-specific size, which are both reduced in large social groups.

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“…The Damaraland mole‐rat, F. damarensis , is a singular cooperative breeder distributed throughout the Kalahari region of Southern African. It exhibits a temporal reproductive division of labour with reproduction typically restricted to one reproductive female and one or two males within a group (Bennett & Jarvis, ; Bennett, ; Burland et al ., ; Zöttl et al ., , ). It is an obligate out‐breeder and after the loss of a breeder, the group may fragment when ecological conditions become favourable (Jarvis & Bennett, ).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Sex differences in timing and context of dispersal in Damaraland mole‐rats (Fukomys damarensis)

et al. 2018

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Dispersal behaviour in cooperatively breeding mammals often differs between the sexes, which can affect how individuals of both sexes compete for breeding opportunities. However, it is largely unknown how the males and females in social mole‐rats differ in frequency, timing and social context of dispersal. Here we show, in Damaraland mole‐rats (Fukomys damarensis), that rainfall increases dispersal probabilities in both sexes. Dispersal is male biased with males dispersing earlier and more frequently in dispersal coalitions than females. Most non‐reproductive individuals disperse from the natal groups before reproducing. Territory inheritance is rare, but when it occurs, female non‐breeders inherit the breeding position from the precious breeding female. After dispersing from the natal group, males are more likely than females to join other established groups and to replace the resident breeder. Our study suggests that differences in dispersal strategy may generate contrasts in intra‐sexual competition, where male breeders are more often challenged by competitors from outside the group and female breeders may face higher competition from individuals within the group.

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Differences in cooperative behavior among Damaraland mole rats are consequences of an age-related polyethism

Cited by 81 publications

References 42 publications

Variability of space-use patterns in a free living eusocial rodent, Ansell’s mole-rat indicates age-based rather than caste polyethism

Variability of space-use patterns in a free living eusocial rodent, Ansell’s mole-rat indicates age-based rather than caste polyethism

Variation in growth of Damaraland mole-rats is explained by competition rather than by functional specialization for different tasks

Sex differences in timing and context of dispersal in Damaraland mole‐rats (Fukomys damarensis)

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